Everlasting Burn
by Rule the Waves
Summary: Alfred and Matthew are polar opposites, one loud and excitable, the other quiet and peaceful. It was to no surprise that, on the day they manifest their potential, they would get the Flamous and Glacia powers, the direct opposites. For their world was ruled by the "purehearted" Flamous, and with that, the "heartless" Glacia were no more than scum. [AU, may not be completed.]
1. Potential

Matthew clung to his brother, following him so as not to get lost. The crowd moved around them, they'd all heard of the boy and his brother, for even the least magically-adept could feel the potential flowing off them. Even the other kids, who attempted to steal it away by wooing the boys and convincing them to kiss them. Thankfully, both of them were smart enough not to be tricked, even if that meant Alfred giving up his best friend.

And now here they were, standing on a stage in front of a large crowd, getting handed the glasses that would choose their fate from then on. Matthew was jealous of his brother, it was easy to see that he would be Flamous. His pure, innocent heart was shown in every word that came out of his mouth, and everyone knew it.

Matthew was not like his brother, and he never got a chance to be.

With his brother always around him, all attempts to socialize on his part were ignored, for even at a young age, people were attracted to the hearts of Flamous. Any person who approached Matthew, as he learned quickly, only wanted a piece of his potential, even if they were Alfred's friends.

Here he was, holding a drink that would turn his brother into a strong fire-weilder, and him into... He didn't know what. He knew he wasn't Flamous, so maybe Aqair? Natron? Lyf? There were so many others, all known for different types of heart. Yet he didn't feel he fit into any of them. He certainly wouldn't fit Glacia, thank the heavens, as he knew he had a heart in there. He wanted to talk to people, he wanted to join in, he just couldn't.

And so he drank, letting himself space out so his heart could be searched and his potential manifest.

He heard the crowd begin to cheer, and a sudden cold gripped him as they silenced, and he dared return to reality.

His brother, as expected, had his hands out to hold his manifestation, a flame that seemed to dance between his fingers. In Matthew's own hands, a shard of ice which was spreading over his own.

His brother was a Flamous, and Matthew was a Glacia.

A Glacia.

The heartless beings who lived homeless on the streets, kicked at by children and adults alike because they knew they couldn't feel it. The beings Matthew himself had even taken a swing at at times, when he was angry at his brother or at someone who'd tried to take advantage of him. And the Glacia would give him a look that fit oddly well on their faces, even though under normal circumstances it would be perceived as sympathy.

He was officially one of them, and before he knew what he was doing, a scream erupted from his throat and he was dragged off stage, his brother running after him.

He was a Glacia, and he knew their parents would not be happy about it.


	2. Home

After being taken by security and calmed, Matthew was told his brother was to escort him home. He knew home was not where he wanted to be, nor where he would stay for long, considering what his parents did to the twins' older brother, Arthur, when he was discovered to be Glacia. Kicked out of the house, forced to live like the rest of the ice-weilders on the streets. The boys never saw him again, and they knew, as it was impossible to miss those eyebrows of his.

Matthew was aware of his brother's arm on his shoulder, his soft, comforting tone and his whispers of apology. There really was only one person in the world who got even close to loving him, and that was his brother. The boy, however, never realized that in the 15 years they'd existed together, never once had Matthew had a friend. Matthew knew he cared, but it pained him to see how oblivious the other was to his situation.

He didn't know when he'd started crying, just that he was sitting on the curb of the sidewalk, his brother trying to calm him down. Someone walking by noticed the white highlight in his hair and gave him a swift punch, telling Alfred not to try to protect the heartless.

His brother grumbled, let the man walk by, and then said in a quiet voice, "if the Flamous are pure of heart, why do they do this?"

Matthew just shook his head, not bothering to think of a response and instead moving to nurse his cheek.

Alfred sighed, helping him up and leading him toward the house. They were almost there, and Matthew found himself shaking, knowing what was to come.

His brother opened the door, and was immediately greeted by their parents with cheer. After a brief conversation, in which Matthew was mostly ignored, their father asked, "now... Why exactly did you bring /him/ home?"

"He's my brother," Alfred replied, as if he'd been waiting to say so.

"You don't have a brother, dear," their- Alfred's mother said, ruffling his hair, "now go put the ice back on the sidewalk."

Alfred frowned, then turned around to Matthew, "Mattie, think you can go on without me?"

Matthew wanted to protest, to scream that no, he couldn't, but something shone in his brother's eyes, and it wasn't the shine of tears. No, it was the shine of mischief, one Matthew had seen in his brother's eyes before. "I think I'll be fine," he said, turning and leaving.

His brother waved, and Matthew decided that he would be proud of the peaceful leave. It was so unlike Arthur's, where their parents were left with frostbite in multiple places.


End file.
